It is tough for most executives to find the time to pound the pavement to look for a new job, Accountemps, the world's largest temporary staffing service, reports.

But tough doesn't mean impossible.

A mid-April survey of 150 executives who work at the nation's 1,000 largest companies found that seven of 10 are either very comfortable or somewhat comfortable looking for work while they are already employed.

Three of 10 executives would be somewhat uncomfortable or very uncomfortable looking for a new job while currently employed.

People are understandably reluctant to resign from their current position until they have another one secured, says Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career for Dummies.

For those comfortable looking for work while cashing paychecks from another firm, Mr. Messmer has some advice:

Never use company supplies or equipment to prepare resumes or send e-mails. Interviews related to a search should be conducted outside of work and during non-business hours.

Small-business seminar

If you are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, the Northern Kentucky University Small Business Development Center and Firstar Bank have lined up a seminar to help make the decision easier.

From 6-8:30 p.m. May 2, the center presents a free introductory seminar: Secrets to Starting a Successful Small Business.

Held in room 461 of the BEP Center on the main campus of Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, the session will explore business preparation, direction, fact-checking, initiative, options, planning and laws.

Reservations are required and can be made by contacting the center at (859) 572-6524.

Power of the pen

Here's a new take on office glee:

If you want to keep your people in cubicle-land pleased, give them plenty of pens  in fact, give them fistfuls of pens.

A survey of 645 American workers shows that happiness on the job is having a dozen or more pens in your desk drawer.

The survey conducted by Pilot Pen Corp. of America, found that nearly nine of 10 American workers with six or more pens at their workstation found their job to be a satisfying one. Compare that with the three of four Americans who believe their jobs are satisfying.

This first writing instrument survey of the new millennium  and maybe the old millennium, too  came to some startling conclusions about the workplace power of the pen:

 While one of five in the workforce are looking for a better job, only one in 10 of those with more than a dozen pens in their desks are job-seeking.

 Dish out purple pens because 85 percent of the employees who use purple pens  or use them at least occasionally  said their boss is 100 percent satisfied with their job performance. That compares to just 73 percent from the general workforce who feel the same way.

 What about helpful? Better than four of five workers using purple pens say they try to help their bosses even when not specifically asked, compared to seven of 10 workers overall.

The study came from a random telephone survey of American workers conducted March 28-April 1 by Opinion Research Corp. International of Princeton, N.J. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.